Sean stood frozen to the spot, staring at Mark in utter disbelief. Mark locked eyes with him, his expression calm and loving. Shaking his head, Sean told him seriously. "If you lose, Nathan will kill you." Mark shrugged, telling him honestly. "That is always a risk. But if it is what it takes to prove my point. I'll do it. Nothing is more important to me than you." Sean stiffened, snapping back. "I'd never ask that of you, Mark. I'm not that selfish." Mark got up to his feet, stating out quickly. "I'm not saying you are." Sean took a deep breath, replying simply. "Yes, you are. You're asking me to talk you into giving up your future and that of the pack... all so you can show me how dedicated you are to me. And if I tell you to do it... and things go wrong. You and everyone else... will blame ME." Sean turned on his heal to leave, causing Mark to jog up to grab his arm. Sean tugged against his grip trying not to look at him. Mark kept a firm hold on him, telling him in a broken voice. "That's not how I intended it to sound!" Sean turned to face him, replying firmly. "I know... but don't ever say that you'd die just to prove something to me. That's not what I want." Mark released his wrist, asking him gently. "What can I do to prove myself then?"

Sean shrugged, mumbling out. "I don't know, Mark." Before Mark could try to stop him again, Sean jogged back off through the woods. Internally he was punishing himself and felt so confused. Why did Mark have to do this now?! Rejoining the festival, he saw the Zetas herding the puppies away. They were getting ready to let the big dogs start their games. The single Omegas were starting to line up around the field, getting ready to watch the Alphas and Betas. Sean saw Nathan moving to stand with some of the Betas and exhaled the last of his breath. His heart hurt. He felt torn and undecided. Leaving to go toward his tent, he tried to rush inside and hide himself away. He didn't want to watch this. He couldn't. Slipping inside, soft puppy whines left him. Curling up on his sleeping bag, he covered his head with his pillow. He heard the flap to his tent open as his dad asked him curiously. "Son? Are you ok? Don't you want to watch?" Sean whined, huddling up in a ball. From outside, his mom asked with concern. "Honey? Did someone say something to you?" When he didn't answer, they both eased into his tent to sit with him. His dad stroked his leg, asking him hopefully. "What is on your mind?"

Sean reluctantly peeked out from under his pillow, mumbling out anxiously. "How did you choose mom? How did you know it was the right decision?" His dad chuckled warmly, answering promptly. "I didn't. Choosing a mate for life is... It's scary to think about. But...out of the people that were interested in me. I laughed more around your mother. I wasn't afraid to say things that I felt. Whenever I got angry... your mother always found a way to calm me down or just listened. And I did the same with her." Sean sat up a bit more, hugging his pillow to his chest, when he asked curiously. "But... You must have known somehow?" His dad shrugged, honestly telling him. "Well, you're supposed to pick based on their scent... but I think that is really only a small part of it. I like your mother's scent, but I liked how we did things together. When my festival came up... I found that I didn't want to live without her in my life." His mother blushed, reaching out to take his father's hand. Sean's heart ached seeing the way their hands held onto each other. He could almost feel the connection between them. Part of him yearned for that. His mother brushed his bangs away from his face, telling him in a motherly voice. "Even if you don't get picked this year... There is always next year. You are young. You will have plenty of time to find your mate."

Sean blushed, informing her coolly. "It's not that. I know I have at least two people trying to win me over but... I don't really know enough about them." His dad looked at his mom with some worry but told Sean nicely. "Well... Trust your gut instincts. It's never wrong. Maybe Noctiluna will give you a sign." Outside the lead Alpha announced aloud. "Alright! With the young puppies safe, let's bring out the Alphas and Betas! First game is a test of individual strength. Alphas up first! Let's see who the strongest Alpha is!" Sean jerked his head up as the lead Alpha announced. "First up, My son. Mark. Against, Trenton's son. Griffon." Sean dropped his pillow and crawled across the tent to peek out at the field. In the center of the field a large circle of yellow rope had been set up. Within the rope, Mark and Griffon were removing their shirts and letting out growls. The lead Alpha stood between them, informing the onlookers and the Alphas. "Get you opponent out of the circle by any means necessary. Ready?" Sean crawled out of his tent, getting to his feet to watch. His hands were shaking with worry. Mark and Griffon tapped bare fists, before the lead Alpha gave Mark a worried look and removed himself from the circle. The second he was clear, Griffon dived for Mark's legs. Mark jumped to the side, shoving Griffon to the ground. Griffon rolled over and back up to his feet.

The two of them ran at each other, slamming hard into the other. Their nails digging into each other as growls thundered out from them. The shoved each other trying to push the other back across the rope. Sean could feel the power of their growls to his core. It gave him goosebumps and filled him with excitement. Frustrated that Mark was starting to overpower him and making him slide back across the grass, Griffon kicked Mark in the balls and flipped Mark to the ground. Hearing Mark yelp made Sean start growling as he headed for the rope to help. His mother grabbed his arms in a firm grip though, pulling him back against her chest as he told him seriously. "Don't. He has to do this on his own." Griffon quickly grabbed Mark's legs to start dragging him to the rope, but Mark kicked out at the arms of Griffon, until he yelped and let go. Mark rolled up onto all fours, snarling at Griffon. Griffon rose to the challenge, running up to Mark. Getting up onto his feet, Mark punched Griffon to across the face to stagger him. Griffon backed up a step or two, then collected himself fast enough to start throwing punches at Mark. Mark blocked the punches, then kicked Griffon so hard that he fell back out of the ring.

The second the fight was over, the Omegas cheered wildly and let out whistles. Sean was the only Omega that resisted the urge. He was relieved that Mark had won, but he was still too nervous to cheer. There were still more Alphas left to fight. Mark was given a break to let two other Alpha's fight. Allowing the lead Alpha to chat quietly with his son and to congratulate him. Sean's mom rubbed his shoulders to try and relax him, but Sean scanned the crowd of people watching. Ethan had cheered the loudest for Mark and that upset him. Mark could do better than Ethan. His mother kissed his ear, then whispered calmly to him. "Stop growling. You'll get your chance to prove yourself over the Omegas. Just relax, Puppy. Save your energy." Behind them, he heard his dad chuckle and inform her. "If he's anything like you, honey... He won't calm down until AFTER the fighting stops. Too much hot-blood in him." His mother stuck her tongue out at his dad, then hugged Sean tighter to her chest. He wanted to push her off, but she was keeping him from shaking apart. His mom eventually got him to sit down in the grass to watch the other fights. He hadn't sat between her legs since he was little, but it was kind of nice. Her whispered comments about the fights made him smile.

His mom loved watching the Alphas fight each other. As a Beta she was always curious to see how others fought. She was even able to predict the outcomes based on their fighting styles. She could tell the trained ones from the ones that weren't. It wasn't hard to see why she was the lead Alpha's second in command. She's been the top Beta of her generation, but had lost to Mark's dad for the position of lead Alpha. Leaning back against her, he listened as she ranted and yelled at the Alphas in the ring. She cheered for everyone but got a bit bossy whenever she knew how that they could fight better. He chuckled to himself, then it faded as he thought about something. Searching for Nathan among the awaiting Betas, he tensed. Nathan was standing a little apart from the Betas and was watching Mark with an expressionless face. Pulling from his mother's arms, he told her. "I'll be back. I wanna talk to someone." His mom let him go and he rushed through the watching crowd to get to Nathan. Nathan turned his head to look at him, giving him a warm smile as he asked. "Enjoying yourself?" Sean grabbed Nathan's arm and turned him so that they were a bit more hidden by a tree. Hugging himself, he asked Nathan a little breathlessly. "You are planning on becoming the lead Alpha, right?" Nathan nodded.

Sean inched closer to him, asking nervously. "Do me a favor then... Don't kill him." Nathan stiffened, prompting Sean to plead out. "Nathan, please? He'll spare you. You know he will." Nathan glanced at the crowd of distracted Betas, before telling him in a low firm tone. "Sean, I can't. You don't understand. If I let him live... He'll challenge me over and over until he wins or dies anyway." Sean grabbed Nate's jacket, pleading to him with a broken voice. "No! He won't! Nathan, please?! I don't have many friends... Don't make me lose him." Nathan exhaled heavily, lifting Sean's chin a little to whisper over his lips. "I have no doubt that he'd play nice. He's a Valley Wolf. I could take over the Valley and he would shake my hand... but if I try to claim YOU as my mate. He will fight me to the bitter end. And I don't think you'd like what I'd have to do to him then." Sean's anger flared and he shoved Nathan up against the tree and told him sternly. "No killing. Or I'll NEVER be yours." A grin spread over Nathan's lips as he leaned in to whisper to him playfully. "Are you challenging me?" Sean's grip on Nathan's jacket loosened as he told him softly. "No... Maybe..." Nathan tilted Sean's chin up, telling him in a low smooth tone of voice. "Very well. If it will make you happy. But you'll owe me..."

Sean tried to step back, anxiously asking him. "Owe you? Owe you what?!" Nathan wrapped an arm around Sean's waist and quickly picked him up to switch positions with him. Pinning him up against the tree, Nathan whispered over his lips beautifully. "My reputation will take a hit. And I don't want to spare him... Only for you to let him mount you. So... make it worth my effort. That way I won't feel like you are stringing me along. Nothing is free. So, tell me... what is his friendship worth to you?" Sean swallowed, leaning back against the tree as much as he could as he said under his breath. "It's priceless." Nathan grinned in such a way that Sean blushed and struggled to breathe. Brushing his lips lightly over Sean's, he told him in a deep and almost lusty voice. "Do you have something priceless to offer me in return?" Sean turned his head to keep his lips off his. He needed to think, and it was hard to think with Nathan so close to him. Swallowing, he shakily told him. "I have nothing that would be of value to you." Nathan licked his ear, making Sean flinch and blush a deeper red. Bringing his lips to his throat, Nathan calmly told him. "I can think of one thing. But you have to offer it." Sean gasped as his words sank in.

Sean jerked his head to lock eyes on Nathan, his walls shooting up as he gasped. Nathan braced an arm over his head, whispering to him calmly. "Easy. It's just a suggestion." Sean wanted to snap at him, but he was in shock. He didn't know how to handle this. This was the first time it had come up. Nathan leaned back a bit to give him some space and Sean found himself blurting out in a whisper. "I am not going to pop out puppies for you! I could get kicked from my pack if I do that with someone from outside the pack!" Nathan shushed him softly but told him genuinely. "I'm not asking you to breed. I'd be on supplements. You can even make me take them in front of you if you want. But I've never been with an Omega... and I'm curious what it's like. I know you must be curious about me." Nathan lifted Sean's chin with his other hand, pressing his lips to his in a small tender kiss. Sean broke it though, whining out timidly. "I can't..." Nathan slowly stepped back from him, telling him sweetly. "Ok. I understand." The lead Alpha announced Mark the winner for the Alphas and called in Nathan to fight another Beta. Nathan started to make his way around the tree, when Sean panicked.

If he didn't have something to offer Nathan... would he kill Mark? Grabbing Nathan's arm, he told him in a rush. "No sex... but... I'd let you pet me. Deal?" Nathan locked kind eyes with his, before nodding slightly. Sean released him, exhaling heavily. He felt ashamed of himself for making such a deal. Yet, he didn't want to lose Mark. Feeling exposed, he hugged himself and watched as Nathan took on the Betas and won against every opponent except one. This was the fight that would determine who would fight Mark for the position of the new lead Alpha of the Valley. The lead Alpha congratulated Nathan for making it to the final Beta fight, then gestured to his opponent. Sean tensed as the Country Wolf slowly made his way into the ring. He was dressed in black leather pants with a long sleeve black shirt and his silver vest. The man's face was hidden beneath a deep black hood. Sean sniffed the air as did others, but his scent was unfamiliar. It was the strong scent of a Beta though. Sean couldn't look away. He had no idea what to expect from these two. The lead Alpha patted their shoulders, asking them hopefully. "Are you ready?" Nathan raised his bloodstained knuckles. The Country Wolf raised his fingerless gloved hands to tap his knuckles against Nathan's, signaling the lead Alpha to leave.

The deep growls that emanated from them had everyone falling into silence. They both were so tense that any sudden movements would set them off. The lead Alpha cautiously removed himself from the ring and everyone held their breath. Neither of them moved, they just stared at each other. Sizing each other up. Nathan then moved and in an uproar of snarling, they attacked each other in a blur of wild swings, before falling to the ground. They flipped each other around so hard, that Sean was surprised they were able to keep going. Sean clung to the tree uneasily. Nathan had made quick work of his other fights and had kept them clean as agreed. This fight was getting dangerously close to becoming a fight to the death. It made no sense to him. What kind of rivalry did these two have? He'd never seen them in the same place and yet... they were acting like they were long time rivals. Did this Country Wolf know that Nathan and Mark were his rivals because they all wanted the same mate? Could the Country Wolf smell his scent on Nathan? Sean shivered at the thought. He felt like a piece of meat to these guys... a prize to be won. To Be Continued...